Improvement in shirt-bosom stretchers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

WESLEY HARRIS, or TorEKA, KANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHIRT-BOSOM STRETCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 15 1,875, dated J une 9, 1874 application filed December 19,1873.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WESLEY HARRIS, of Topeka, county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Device for Stretching Shirt- Bosoms, of which the following is a specification:

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a device for stretching shirt-bosoms while ironing the same, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the saine', I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan view of my shirt-bosom stretcher. Fig. 2 is an end view, Fig. 3, a side view; and Fig. 4, a section of the same, taken through the line :v x, Fig. 1.

The shirt-bosom Stretcher consists of a skeleton-frame, composed of two straight wires,A A, placed a suitable distance apart and nearly parallel with each other, and a wire brace, B, which is bent substantially in the form shown in Fig. l. The wire brace B forms on each side a ring, a, which is fastened to the straight wire A by having iine wire wrapped around them and then soldered together. These rings prevent the outer wire from springing. The upper ends of the wires A A are soldered to the wire B at b b. The Wire B forms in its center the neck part C, over which the shoulder of the shirt is to come. This part C is`formed ou a slant or inclined, as shown, so as to fit any shirt, whether it is large or small in the neck. The ends of the wire B are driven into the upper side of a wooden crossbar, D, one near each end, and the ends of the bars A A are driven into the same holes, as shown, and the wires held down to the cross-bar by suitable staples. The rear side of the .bar D is made inclined, so as to make its bottom side a little narrower than the top, for the purpose of preventing the fastening device from slipping up. This fastening device consists of a bar, G, hinged to the bar D by means of a rod, d, fastened in staples, e e, at the ends of the bar D. The rod d is placed in a longitudinal groove in the rear side of the bar G and bent across the ends of the same, the ends of the rod extending forward and fastened in the staples e e in the ends of the bar D. The rod d is pressed outward from the bar G by means of spiral or other springs, i, inserted in reA cesses in the bar G, 'the ei'ect hereof being to force the latch-bar G against the inclined rear side of the bar D. Suitable staples and loops, f f, are fastened to the bar G to hold the rod in the groove and tothe bar.

The stretcher thus constructed is introduced by laying a shirt down ou a table, with the bosom up, the collar being buttoned. The front part of the shirt is then raised, and the stretcher put up inside of the shirt until it goes up through the neck. Draw the 'hand down tight over the neck part C of the stretcher, and let the wooden bar D come up against the edge of the table. This places the shirt flat on the ironing-cloth, whereas if the bar D were laid on the table it would raise the shirt up from the cloth. The front part of the shirt is then drawn down over the bars D and G. The bar G is then raised, the goods drawn tight over it, and pushed with the iingers under and up between the two bars. The bar G is then brought down, stretchin g every plait perfectly straight.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The skeleton-frame consisting of the straight wires A A, and the wire B bent to form the rings a a, and the neck part C, all substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the skeleton-frame A B C, beveled bar D, and a fastening device attached to said bar, for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The combination of. the skeleton-frame A B C, beveled bar D, bar G, rod d, and springs 17 t', all constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I hereunto affix my signature this 16th day of December, 1873.

WESLEY HARRIS.

Vv'itnesses:

GEORGE M. NOBLE, TIMOTHY B. SWEET. 

